During the Enlightenment Movement, liberalism was what defined freedom from oppression and helped break the hold of monarchy. Since then, liberalism in America has shifted to an ideology of control and oppression. Free thought and personal liberty are no longer what define liberalism. Liberalism has done a u-turn in America and become a platform for moving backwards toward the same policies that were successfully escaped in the 18th century. The worst part of this is that Americans from all walks of life are embracing such intrusive and outrageous policies.

Today's liberalism is something else entirely, making the need for a new definition or word for the real principles of freedom essential. Here is a list of current liberal policies that aim to limit individual choice and freedom and would shock and disgust the founding fathers of enlightenment.

Intolerance In Media

Intolerance for differing opinions in most mainstream American media is not something that would have been called "liberal" just 200 years ago. For the first half of the 1900s, America was a world leader in press freedom. It was a journalist's job to question everything objectively, without bias and without punishment. Journalists today have gone to great lengths to cover up, ignore, or discredit anything that might negatively influence opinions toward their favored political movements and leaders. This near universal bias in most mainstream media can be attributed to the "thought monopoly" that has steered the direction of American media. In the 1960's, the United States was home to over 60 companies that controlled most of the country's mainstream newspapers, television networks and magazines. The diversity of opinion in the media of the 1960s is only somewhat comparable to the diversity of opinion on the internet today. In 2014, there are over 500 major online companies and individuals controlling the flow of news and opinion in America. In 2014, 90% of major American television and print news is controlled by just six companies.

Banning Subversive Speech And Expression

Liberals have come a long way from their roots in free speech and free thinking. It's today's false liberals that are now calling to ban certain forms of speech that may challenge the politically correct status quo that keeps political speech tamed and incapable of inspiring real change or debate. Political correctness has been what has kept most new and revolutionary ideas out of the mainstream. The inability to aggressively and honestly challenge anything, in cooperation with the lack of tolerance in media, has created a controlled environment in America. It's an environment that seems immune to any real change. In most European countries there are laws that ban certain kinds of speech under the guise of "hate". Some Democrats (liberals) are now seeking to implement similar bills in the United States. In America, liberals seek to outlaw any form of counter speech that may threaten the implementation of their regressive ideals. Most of this counter speech happens to come from conservatives. By falsely labeling some conservative or libertarian speech hateful, liberals seek to legally regulate what their opponents can and cannot say. Liberals defend their regressive speech policies by claiming that certain kinds of speech might somehow infringe on people's freedom (of all things) and their emotional well-being. In some cases, Liberals claim that some speech might actually inspire violence or regressive government policies against minorities and, therefore, should be made illegal.

Wasteful Public Spending

In his latest trip to Asia, President Obama dined with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, at a popular Tokyo sushi restaurant with a $300 price tag per person. Earlier this year, Michelle Obama wore a $12,000 dress to a White House State dinner. During the French Revolution, Mary Antoinette was beheaded for her lavish spending while people starved. The French Revolution, of course, was a result of the liberal Enlightenment. Today's American Liberals tout higher levels of public spending as a solution to poverty. Meanwhile, most Democratic (liberal) controlled US states with higher public spending also have spiraling debts, high crime, and growing levels of poverty. It's no coincidence that America's most liberal president, Barack Obama, has also had a very liberal approach to spending public money.

Burning Human Fetuses For Fuel

American liberals and feminists have endorsed the destruction and incineration of unborn human fetuses. The state of Oregon finally ordered state energy producers to stop burning aborted fetuses for fuel. It's difficult for most Americans to believe that such a practice could even be conceived, let alone materialized, in modern America. The founding fathers of America would have been appalled and horrified at these unusual and almost cult-like practices taking place within the borders of the United States. Burning fetuses for fuel is something from a horror film, but it's happening in America because of modern, pro-choice liberalism.

Prioritizing Sex And Drugs

Advocacy for legalized prostitution, drug use, and most forms of "victimless" crimes has risen dramatically since the 1980's. The cause, of course, is modern liberalism. Instead of prioritizing the preservation of life or stronger laws to protect victims, liberals have begun to press for the legalization of unnecessary and destructive behaviors. Solicitation of sex has been virtually illegal for most of America's history. The country and most sex maniacs have done fine without it. Although evidence has shown that legalized prostitution does nothing to reduce illegal sex trading or abuse, American liberals continue to add legalized prostitution to their "to-do" lists. With intolerance in media and the push for regulated speech, it may not be long until liberals hijack America's culture by successfully suppressing any and all dissent against their ideology.

Banning Fat And Sugar

Across liberal states like California and New York, regulations have been introduced for trans-fats and sugar. All of these regulations and bans were introduced and voted into law by Democrats (liberals). The absurdity of these regulations comes to light when we look at how liberals have prioritized the legalization of equally harmful substances like marijuana.

Gun Control

America's gun control debate is endless. Most other violent crimes are ignored by mainstream liberal media, while all major gun crimes are sensationalized and exaggerated for weeks after they happen. Since this subject has been beaten to death in media, there isn't a point to add any more here. For more on gun control, read these two brilliant articles by other Poletical contributors: The Truth About Guns In America and The "Gun Nut" Narrative.